More handmade happiness

50 Comments

  1. Thanks for all the awesome tips for making this type of blanket. I’m a MN girl too. Did you choose a color for each degree or for a range? That’s where I will struggle. Thanks in advance for any suggestions! Happy hooking! 😁

      1. I have been working on a Temperature Blanket for the year 2018, still working on it. But I have made a Temperature Blanket for my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary afghan by using everyone in the immediate family’s favorite colors, the temperatures from the year they got married as well as using yarn that used to be my Grandma Anderson’s yarn (which is my mom’s mom) and my Great-Grandma Cook’s yarn (which is my dad’s grandma) and made it into a family hereloom. I did each month as a heart corner-to-corner block. It’s absolutely beautiful! My parents’ love it! And I live in the wonderful state of Iowa, where the temperatures are not that much different than Minnesota’s.

        1. I started a temperature blanket in 2021. I’m still working on it. I used the Lion Brand color chart. I also use a strand of gold yarn held together with the regular color for birthdays and holidays. I’m hoping to get it done in 2023. And don’t forget to put a label on it with start and end dates and/or the year it represents
          .

  2. Thank you for the great tutorial! I have admired these blankets made by crafters from overseas and was a bit intimidated. You have given me hope that I can do this especially with your very well explained post. Looking forward to seeing your finished project and pinning your post for “one day” when I can get started on one of my own.

      1. My ten year old asked me about making one, he saw it on you tube. I’d not seen one before and was amazed to see a great idea bought to life. He called it a weather blanket! I’m tempted to add clouds and sun etc to fit his description. We are going to plan it together, I expect in UK the range maybe limited but we can adapt the ranges of colour shifts. Maybe link a different stitch to each too. 🤯😊 Thanks for your post. X

        1. I started my blanket in June since I had just learned about them and didn’t want to wait until January. I’m doing my temps × 6 degrees. I plan to make a temperature scarf for my friend, using low temps for her town. Also one for myself using low Temps

  3. Wow Smitha! I’ve crocheted since I was 5 and I’m 68. Thoroughly enjoyed reading about your Tempature Blanket. I’ve never heard of one before but am definitely going to make one. I live in southwest MO but winter in southern TX so the ‘temps’ will be very interesting. Can’t wait to start. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful idea. Blessings.

    1. I discovered temperature blankets the other day and thought what perfect timing to try my first one! I was searching extensively for a rough idea on how long the foundation chain should be and came across your blog. Such wonderful information and gorgeous colors! My son helped me pick out our colors for ours, and in doing so an idea occurred to me. I wanted to be able to differentiate between the months and thought about alternating stitches for each month but unsure as to which to do. Would there even be a noticeable difference between a single and a half double stitch for every other month? Is there any specific stitch you recommend that would be noticeable between a single or hdc?

  4. Could you use a smaller hook size to make the blanket smaller. I used a 4mm hook when making a blanket, was wondering if I use a 3.5 with the stylecraft yarn

    1. You could size down on the hook, but the fabric might turn out to be dense and rigid like a rug or basket. I’m not sure if it will work, but there is no harm in trying and then deciding

  5. Great post! I’m in the northwest suburbs and thinking about making a blanket for my cousins who recently got married. How far north are you, I’m trying to get an idea based off the temperatures you’re using to make my own? I may have to write down the temps for a while and then start just to be sure I get whatever the lowest temperature is this winter! 🙂 Thank you again!

    1. Hi! I live in the Twin Cities suburbs, so not that north. You can try writing temps down, but honestly every year the winter is different in Minnesota! I would say just start the blanket and enjoy 🙂

  6. I live in the desert southwest and we have temperatures ranging lows 30F to over 115F. Every suggested temperature chart I’ve ever seen is either too low, -30 to 90F or doesn’t go to high enough – only up to 90 or 100F. I’ve not figured out how I want to go high enough for my area.

    1. Hi Jane! If the temps go that high and stay at 110 for days- I would suggest breaking your colors as 90 to 97, 98 to 105, 106 to 112, 113+ to keep it interesting while crocheting and have some color variation. Hope this helps!

      1. Thank You for sharing Your pattern for Your Temperature Blanket . You saved me alot of time and gray hair figurine this out. Truly Thank You Again.

  7. I enjoyed this post. I’ve been working on a knitted temperature blanket for 2022 and went down the proverbial rabbit hole looking for crocheted blanket information. I had the opposite experience from yours. I live in Arizona with higher warm temperatures but I spent about 4 1/2 weeks in Hennepin county in October and November. Luckily my temperature ranges and yarn choices gave me the flexibility to accommodate the new temp range. I, too, did not take my blanket with me when I traveled. So I’m about 7 weeks behind right now. But I figure it’s a marathon not a sprint. Best wishes for 2023.

      1. Yes. It’s gotten very heavy. I have a large yarn bag from Joann’s and the bag is stuffed full with the project and I’m currently knitting November 6th when I returned to Phoenix the first time. It’s most challenging when I put it away at the end of a day’s work and it’s heavy and awkward to fold up. But I’ve enjoyed the project; errors and all!! My knitting skills have improved this year and I’m hoping to achieve the same progress with a crocheted project next year.

  8. Smitha, I’ve been interested in making a temperature blanket and your info is very helpful. How many balls or skeins of yarn per color will I need? I’m relocating to Asia in a couple of months and I won’t have access to size 4 cotton yarn. 🙁
    I’m considering stock piling on the yarn I’ll need to (hopefully) complete a temperature throw. A blanket will be too warm to use in my final destination.

  9. I really want to do one of these for 2023, but I was afraid of getting behind. Your post made me feel better and reminded me that I might not be the only one catching up in December!! Thank you for sharing! ❤️ (I may also do a temperature scarf instead of a blanket, but we’ll see!)

    1. I started this blanket with so much love and good intentions- but it taught me to persevere and to hang in there. It is the best project I have made in a while and if I can do it so can you! But a scarf definitely sounds like a safer bet 🙂

  10. I had 3 grandchildren (all girls) and knitted a temperature blanket for all 3 in one year (whew!). I used the high temp for each day for their first year, from date of birth to days before first birthday. They came out wonderfully. I now have a 4th granddaughter. I bought the yarn for hers, but haven’t started it yet. But I will. Something for them to keep from grandma.

    1. That’s a wonderful idea. I live in Flint. But my 3 grandchildren lives in Arizona. I could do a blanket for them and use Arizona weather.

  11. I love the idea of a temperature blanket. I’ve been crocheting for 60 years and never heard of this. One way to avoid the edges from being uneven is to use a pattern that has a scalloped edge. This also gives a finished look with no need for a border. I’m going to experiment with a pattern that I’ve used many times to make scarves with scalloped edges. Thanks for letting us know about this unique project.

  12. I love how you have documented everything! and as for the blanket this is really helpful and answered a lot of questions I had as a beginner. Thank you! looking forward to seeing more projects from you!

  13. This is the best temperature blanket article and instructions I’ve read! Thanks for your clear documentation and especially your do’s and don’t’s. Your blanket is beautiful! xxx

  14. What a lovely idea! Never heard of them before. I live in the UK, but my elder son lives in the TC. Would love to make one for them (my d-in-l is from MN) and they love blankets, but it would take me forever to make one over there on normally one visit a year, and it would eventually be too bulky/heavy to transport! Will have a think, ss I do check their weather each day. Maybe granny squares are the way to go in this instance.
    Thank you!

    1. For 2023 I am making granny squares and keeping it simpler! I just updated my Temperature Blanket post with pics of the squares. If you would like to make a blanket, I would suggest making the blocks according to the temperature and not joining them. You can easily fit small crocheted blocks into a suitcase while packing- they will fill up tiny nooks and crannies. And once you reach your destination, all you need to do is join the blocks to make the blanket!! I did this once, my mom and I made blocks together, and I brought them to the US as blocks only easily in my suitcase and joined them here. Hope this helps! Happy Crocheting!

  15. I am a total crochet novice but I can knit. I have absolutely loved reading your tutorial because it was easy to follow, because of your honesty regarding any mistakes or changes that you came across and how to change them and also including your trip to India and dedicating those colours to your mother in law, which is beautiful. I live in the North East of the UK 🇬🇧 the temperatures here can be anything from -10 (however probably a high of -1) to 40 degrees celsius. You have inspired me to start my own Temperature Blanket and cannot wait to get started! Thank you!

    1. I’m so happy you enjoyed my blog post! This blanket is so interesting to make, I’m sure you will enjoy it whether you knit or crochet. I just started my 2023 blanket and I am making small squares. I was planning on knitting garter stitch squares at first but switched to crochet because both my girls can crochet and wanted to help.

  16. Congratulations. You caught my attention before the beginning of the year and I found out about these things. I researched for 2 days, then bought yarn 3 days before the first. I decided on granny square cause after over 50 years I have not forgotten how to do it. I’ve started the fourth month and am still happy with it. Will be moving back to MN after 31 years in AK. The temp will change some in July. Never know, might run into you in the cities somewhere. Thanks for catching my eye.!😍

  17. So, I’m embarrassed to say that I currently have three temperature blankets in progress 😂. One from 2019, 2020, and 2021. They’re all more than halfway done so this year I’m trying to complete them all so that I can do a new one for next year, lol. I already have the colors picked out for next year. Each one is based on the weather from a different location that means something to me. I’m not sure what 2024’s location will be but I want somewhere with variable weather so I can use all my colors. Thanks for sharing the Facebook group, I had no idea it existed.

    1. Hi Erika!

      I am so glad you found my blog post, and we met! I really found it difficult last year to keep up with the summer months, since it was so warm. But come Sep/ Oct I am sure you will be able to catch up with all of your blankets! I finished my 2022 Temperature blanket in mid Feb, still need to edit YouTube video and post more finished pics onto my blog. I’m at May of my 2023 blanket and am already thinking of colors for a 2024 one too. Happy Crocheting!

  18. I heard of temperature blankets for the first time in February 2022 and spontaneously bought a lot of yarn, those knitting needles with a wire connecting them, and took off with almost no plan…I got through one month and shelved it because the dimensions were off and it took over an hour to finish logging one day. Just a couple of weeks ago, the tub of yarn started speaking to me, and I drafted up a new pattern and am off again! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who’s been working on a 2022 blanket in 2023! Yours looks beautiful, and I love that it shows where you and your family were throughout the year.

  19. Working myself into knots all last summer on how to start knitting a Temperature Blanket, when at first this had seemed such a nice, simple project to take on to commemorate the birth of my great-niece.
    I noticed the checklist of points to work through, as recommended by you, before even thinking of buying the yarn; doing this has just taken me the biggest part of two days.
    I will be knitting a record of daily max.temperatures during the baby’s first year in a range of primary colours with amounts of weekly local rainfall in blocks along the edges, using various shades of blue.
    The finished result may well end up being super bright, keeping in mind the hot& dry summer enjoyed in Western Europe; so, no pastel shades for this little one🌈.
    I aim to make it in the useful size of a toddler’s blankie, but of course I hope that she’ll keep it for longer.

    I absolutely hadn’t counted on having to make so many decisions in readiness for the start of this project. But, thanks to this very helpful information site, I have now got the zing to get the needles out, and can’t wait to commence the actual knitting.
    The baby will be turning one year old in March, so I’ve got about three months to get it done 🧶.
    Wish me courage, Smitha Katti 🌡️

    1. I’m so excited for you! I love that energy you have when you are starting a new blanket, and I love that you are adding rainfall blocks to the side, such a cute idea! I am sure your blanket will turn out amazing, wishing you all the best! Happy Knitting 🙂

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